The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea paniculata and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Le Vasterival’. ‘Le Vasterival’ represents a new panicle hydrangea, a deciduous shrub grown for landscape use.
‘Le Vasterival’ was discovered by the inventor in Varengeville Sur Mer, France in summer of 2003. ‘Le Vasterival’ arose as a naturally occurring branch mutation on an unnamed seedling of Hydrangea paniculata ‘Floribunda’ (both the seedling and ‘Floribunda’ are un patented).
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by softwood stem cuttings in Beaufort en Vallée in winter of 2004 under the direction of the inventor. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.